Alone With Wolves
by Wolf Rocket
Summary: Taking place years before the dragons return, Lydia is unwittingly kidnapped by a werewolf, one who has long ago lost his humanity. What does he want with her? What would his pack do if they found out about his human 'friend? And why does he insist on wearing pants? Contains hints of bestiality. Rated for violence, language and mature themes.
1. Into the Wild

**Alone with Wolves**

**Into the Wild**

She'd grabbed a shield from the wreckage of the town, why of all things did she grab a shield? Not a sword? A war ax? A war hammer? No, scratch that last one, she couldn't wield a war hammer. "Back!" she shouted, taking a step back herself.

The brown werewolf made a guttural whimpering noise in his throat and hobbled closer much to the housecarl's annoyance. He was sniffing at the air, his black nose twitching as he took in the scent of the forest clearing and of the frightened Nord. There was no sign of life around for miles, an expected response after such a large pack raid. He stood on his hind legs, reaching for the scents on the wind - blood and smoke – then he stared at the Nord again, yellow eyes glowing in wonder.

She didn't know if she should chance running or stand her ground, she'd never fought a werewolf before and certainly not with only a shield. She tensed as the wolf walked closer, unsteady on two legs, bushy tail swaying. "I said back!" she spat, bashing the beast's snout when he made to smell her shield. The wolf yelped and loped away a few paces. "What are you waiting for? If you're going to eat me then get it over with" her words shook with her body and she prepared for the wolf to charge.

He didn't. He just stared. Ears tilted to the side and the wolf back on four paws, he circled her, always sniffing. Then he paused, yes the scent was unmistakable, his alpha was nearby and he had recently fed, that was good. Wait, not good, he was coming to the clearing, he was going to cut through the forest to meet the rest of the pack at the giant's camp. Not good, not good. The brown wolf could not have the alpha here, the grey leader would definitely kill the human, full belly or not. No, he had to take the human somewhere safe, somewhere he could investigate her further.

Yes, he knew the perfect place, the cabin in the woods, abandoned but still... homey.

"What are you doing?" the woman huffed, her shield was knocked to the side by the werewolf's great paw and with one heave she was over the beast's shoulder. "Let go of me, cur!" she pounded her fists against the wolf's furry chest but he didn't seem to care.

The woman was angry, the wolf knew, he could smell her rage if such a thing could be smelt. It didn't matter, the alpha was going to catch them if the brown wolf didn't hurry so, carefully, he bit the woman's arm and he felt her flinch. As if she was a pup, he held her arm so that she wouldn't escape as he ran full tilt, the woman's other arm in a choke-hold around his muscular neck. With all four limbs beating against the grass, the beast sprinted, the trees swarming past in shades of fading green. Green like the Nord's eyes, but hers were so much greener it made the wolf shiver.

A howl, loud and piercing in the afternoon air. The wolf grunted, gnashing his teeth, tickling the pearl-white skin as he picked up speed, he needed to go faster, faster than his hulking leader. The brown wolf was the omega, he was weak but he had a head start.

They ran, the Nord growing more and more uncomfortable and sore from the bumpiness of the ride, her will to fight ebbing with every leap the wolf took.

* * *

With the evening seeping into the orange sky, dying it purple, the werewolf finally stopped, waking the Nord from her slumber as she was thrown to the ground, roughly, her tunic tearing on the beast's sharp claws. Looking around, the housecarl saw a forest dense with evergreens and for all she knew, it was the same one they'd started out in.

The wolf knew better, he remembered the smell of the trees, sweeter here and flowing with sap. And he knew the scent of the river and its salmon and how they were larger, allowed to flourish in the untouched wilds. This was his sanctuary and the cabin, soon that would be the human's and he could spend as much time with her as he pleased, time to study her. At least, when he wasn't helping with the pack. He barked, the harshness of the sound causing the Nord to jump. How strange, the wolf thought, how strange that she should be frightened by such a happy call.

"What is wrong with you?" she hissed, having landed on a hard mound of dirt, she rubbed her back, steaming, "And why in Oblivion do you wear pants?"

She was displeased? And what was wrong with pants? The wolf did not understand, he knew the human speech well enough of course, he had been human once but he could not comprehend their other intricacies, that had been lost with time. So much time, he was a true child of Hircine, he would never return to a human form. And yet, he was so curious about them. Such messy creatures, messy with 'feelings'. He remembered that word and he could recognize some of them, anger and sadness and cheer but there was more, so many more in-between and this woman was going to help him discover them.

Her eyes were on him now and she looked ready to dart away again, like a scared rabbit but he wouldn't let her. The wolf pounced and sunk his teeth gently into the woman's shoulder, hesitating when she let out a cry of surprise. She hit him again, on the nose, again! He scoffed and decided to snarl to spook her and it worked. She would be obedient, perhaps only for a short while but that was good enough, he had a special surprise waiting for her in the cabin.

But first, a bath...

He dumped the Nord, fully clothed, into the calm flow of the river neighboring the forest, watching as she thrashed in the cold water and shuddered, the thin fabric of her rough-spun tunic clinging to her skin. "What... what kind of a wolf are you?" she was yelling again, humans made a lot of noise, especially when they saw him, so he was used to it.

The bath was essential though, the leader could smell and track them down if he wished, the water washed most of the scent away. In fact, the brown wolf had to bathe too, to wash the human's scent off his fur so he removed his trousers and jumped in. He howled as the icy river sopped into his fur, unfortunately it was spring so he didn't have a thick undercoat to protect him from the temperature drop. He nipped at the water, punishing it.

* * *

The cabin was untidy and dusty, the furniture was ancient, the large bed in the corner of the rectangular scheme was practically sinking into the grimy floorboards and the drawers were crawling with bugs. The wolf thought it was perfect, the Nord, not so much. "Is this your home? I thought wolves lived in dens or caves" she had calmed down from the bath and she was currently running her hand through her dark, wet hair to the wolf's continued fascination. The housecarl could have sworn she saw the animal nod in reply or perhaps the swim had frozen her brain. "I guess I'll be heading home then" she tried, hoping that the weird day had at last come to a close and that she could return to Whiterun to forget about the whole thing.

No such luck.

Before she could scream or fight back, the wolf had clasped a chain around her left ankle, the thick, metal links clanking along the full length of the shack until they ran underground and out of sight. She was a prisoner, she realized, in a cabin in the woods in the middle of nowhere with a seven-and-a-half foot tall werewolf as her captor. Needless to say, she fainted from the shock.

End.

**AN: Well, what can I say? This is a largely experimental work with a 'Beauty and the Beast' type of story mixed with a little 'Warm Bodies' but with werewolves. This isn't the type of thing I usually write (or draw actually) but what's life without a bit of a 'wrench in the engines' eh? **

**Thanks for reading!**


	2. Humans are Not Like Pups

**Lesson One: Humans are Not Like Pups**

**(Wolf speech is marked with '[' and ']')**

She opened her eyes in tiny increments, carefully revealing ragged sheets on the bed where she was lying, her face pressed into the grainy mattress. _Alright, no problem, Dragonsreach always had pretty rough covers, _she thought. Her gaze flickered to the area beyond her bed, grey-tinged sunlight greeting her as it seeped through the cracks in the moldy walls. _Well, that's slightly less convincing. _The dorms in Dragonsreach could be damp, sure, but nothing like the murky green surfaces the housecarl was seeing now. She bolted upright, her heart fluttering in her chest. There was no mistaking the clink that came with her movement, the chain was still there, tethering her to the cabin. Which meant the burning town and the beasts in the night had not been a dream. Which brought her to wondering, where was the wolf?

* * *

He kept the cabin in view as he hunted, scampering after rabbits and birds and even the occasional Skeever. Rabbits, rabbits, humans liked rabbits, oh and pheasants yes, so plump and juicy. He licked his lips, anticipating a quiet meal with the Nord as he bit the throat of a hare. So far he'd caught two pheasants, and a hare and he'd even picked a few berries, for a balanced meal because humans were fickle that way.

There was something wrong though, a scent was nearing, one that was too familiar. Freki, Freki his friend was coming. Such bad timing, as always. He had no choice, the brown wolf had to cut his friend off or else the younger male would find the human. So many distractions, the wolf scoffed.

Burying his kills, he sprinted towards the smell of his auburn-furred friend, his tongue lolling out of his jaws to catch the scents on the air. Not much so early in the morning, a few small animals, dew on the grass, possible rain in the wind and his friend of course.

He was so busy smelling he nearly ran right into the smaller wolf named Freki who was snooping around the river in puzzlement. Good thing his friend had fast reflexes to dodge out of the way as the omega skidded to a halt at the other wolf's feet. They greeted each other with a sniff, their tails rising in welcome. [Akaela! It is good I have found you] the red wolf growled, his blue eyes shining, [Secunda wishes to hunt again tonight, he wishes you join, brother]

The wolf named Akaela snorted, [The alpha only wishes to mock me, as he always does. What has happened that Secunda would use me as fodder?]

Freki gave his friend a wolf's grin and sat on his haunches to tease, his tail wagging, [It is true, my friend who thinks himself wiser than the alpha. Masser has fallen ill once again and cannot hunt. She must be replaced by at least three other brothers or sisters, such is our loss]

Akaela's ears perked at that, [Masser... Masser is ill? How much longer will she last, my brother?] For Masser was old, older than any of the other pack members, older than many of the trees in Akaela's forest as well, and with each passing day she grew older and weaker.

[I cannot say though Ludvin believes it will happen before the snow returns] was the red wolf's honest answer. It was disgruntling for both wolves for the death of an alpha was tragic, yes, but it was also followed by a period of uncertainty, when the alpha male would choose a new mate or go without. And their pack, as sparsely numbered as it was, could not afford to have no alpha pair.

Akaela knew this and he also knew his relationship with Secunda was strenuous at best. It would be wiser for the omega to do was he was bid, especially if the alpha was in a foul mood. [Tell Secunda I will join the hunt. I have something to take care of in the meanwhile] the larger wolf surrendered.

Freki did not know of his friend's hobby but he did know the omega had some strange habits. Like wearing pants and running off from the pack to disappear for days. The red wolf never questioned Akaela about it though. They were friends and loyalty and trust kept them and the pack together, and the pack was everything.

* * *

The cabin was sorely lacking in amenities. During her search, the housecarl had found a stash of moth-eaten clothes in the drawers, rusted pots and pans in the cupboards of what she assumed used to be a dining area, some ancient books in the bedside table and plenty of dead insects. There was nothing she could use to break her binds.

She'd considered yelling for help but she didn't know where she was, the last thing she needed was to attract the attention of a bear or gods knew what else. _I'm going to die here... _she thought, flopping onto the bed in exasperation. A cloud of dust burst from the mattress, making her cough. So much dust and mold. She wondered how long the cabin had been abandoned, how long since the walls and furniture had become a home for insects and werewolves. And how long was she going to be a prisoner to its crumbling ramparts.

Such pointless questions, really, they only served to make the housecarl anxious. Groaning, she pushed the thoughts from her mind and curled up into a ball, ignoring the hunger that tugged at her belly.

It was in this position that the werewolf found her later on, his mouth full of animal carcasses and berries, his eyes wide as he took in her slumbering form. Such delicate creatures these humans, like little pink pups. They had the tiniest of claws, flat teeth, hardly any fur, it was a wonder they'd managed to survive, never mind thrive, in such a harsh place as Skyrim.

The wolf often pondered if he was ever a human at all for he had forgotten so much about them and their way of life. Perhaps he'd been fooling himself. If that was true then why did he feel so drawn to them?

Ah but the woman was waking, the wolf had to set his thoughts aside for the moment, food must come first. He could feel his eyes growing red just tasting the warm flesh in his maw. Yes, definitely feeding time.

* * *

Akaela released the Nord from her bonds so they could have their meal outside, two pheasants for the wolf and the hare and berries for the human. The beast was treated to a show as he ate, his attentions fixed on the housecarl's pale paws as she built a fire and carefully skinned the rabbit with a knife she'd fashioned from a rock and a stick. He would have protested to the flames for the red and orange warmth brought smoke but he didn't, the pack was far off and if any other men came wandering in, well, they would be taken care of.

Lydia kept her eyes on her food the whole time they were eating though she could still feel the wolf's golden gaze searing through her. She had secretly tucked the sharpened stick under her shoe where she could reach for it the moment the beast dropped his guard. _He has a throat, it can be slit and this nightmare will finally be over, _she thought, biting into the tender meat of the rabbit's leg. She couldn't over-power him if he fought back so it would have to be done quickly, meaning she only had one chance. She swallowed, harder than she had intended and she saw the beast's ears flick towards the sound. _Damn, calm down, remember your training. _

She was nervous, the wolf could smell that much and fright, that was always there. He couldn't read her facial expressions effectively so he relied on scents. Hm, how to make a human more comfortable? If all he could get her to feel was anxious and fearful then his experiment wasn't going to work, he needed her to feel safe, cared for. Cared for, of course! He had sat with pups before and they had loved his company, perhaps that was what the woman needed.

Finishing his meal with a gulp, the wolf dropped into a crouched position, his tail wagging endlessly behind him, making his excitement apparent. The housecarl had noticed the small movement from the corner of her eye and she was a little ruffled but she tried to act calm, _he probably saw a bird or something. _Another audible swallow.

Then he pounced.

She didn't have time to react or reach for the knife as the beast slammed into her, knocking her flat on her back, his muzzle inches from her face. _Gods, I'm dead, I'm dead, I'm dead. _She flinched under the weight of the beast as his claws dug into her shoulders, his breath smelling of blood. And his teeth, each curved and yellowed from use but still sharp, they were so close she could see the chip in one of his molars.

There was no use fighting back, she knew she couldn't win, she couldn't even move her arms with his body on top of hers. So she closed her eyes and steeled herself for the end. She could feel his hot breath on her cheek as the wolf's fangs lunged in for the kill. It was wetter than she was anticipating. _What?_

She opened her eyes only to get a face-full of wolf slobber. He was licking her, his rough tongue lapping at her nose and her lips, and when he wasn't licking her he was panting, like a dog. "What..." talking was a bad move, she got a mouthful of wolf spit for her efforts. Annoyed, she timed her next outburst, shouting, "Okay, that's enough... get off!" with as much vigor as she could manage. The volume sent Akaela reeling off of her, a yelp escaping through his clenched teeth.

Oh she was scary but the wolf was glad to see his tactic had worked. The Nord's nervous and fearful scent had disappeared. She was blushing now and she smelt of anger and surprise, what did all those things mean together? The wolf did not know, he had never seen a human react in such a way to his behavior before, probably because his usual behavior towards them was … violent.

What the wolf didn't recognize was that the housecarl was feeling incredulous and embarrassed and a little frustrated. How in Oblivion was she going to kill him now? "You can't go around licking people, wolf!" she hissed, kicking at the grass around the fire-pit which had petered out on its own. The wolf was hunched a few feet away with his head tilted, whining. _Unbelievable. _"Listen, I don't know how but you can understand me. If you can talk, do it now because I would love some answers"

Akaela blinked. Many nights he had dreamed of being able to speak in the human tongue, that would've made everything so much easier. He always woke up however and always he would have the same wolf mouth with the same wolf teeth and the same wolf tongue. And wolves could not speak human, no matter how hard they tried. He had definitely tried, always with the same results.

A series of barks and snarls.

The housecarl frowned, "I guess that's a no. Alright, I will ask my questions and you can just nod or shake your head. Understand?"

More barking followed by a heavy nod.

"Good" she smiled, an undeniable thrill creeping up her back as she realized that she could be the first person to ever communicate with a werewolf but she needed to get one thing clear first. "You're not going to eat me, are you?"

She was unnerved to see the wolf pause before shaking his head.

_I'll take that as a maybe. _"Will you be keeping me prisoner for long?"

Another pause, this one longer. The housecarl bit her lip as her nervousness returned and the wolf must have sensed it because he immediately shook his head.

"Wolf, are you lying to me?" she deadpanned.

Again the wolf shook his head. The Nord wasn't impressed and she showed it by crossing her arms. Unconsciously, the beast tried to imitate her action but his arms were longer so it made him look foolish. What did it mean, these crossed limbs?

More anger apparently, the woman was radiating with it. "What do you want with me?"

It wasn't a 'yes' or 'no' question so the wolf didn't know how to respond. He stared.

"Forget it" the Nord groaned, slumping onto the grass when she realized it was stupid to expect answers from a wolf.

The beast edged closer now that it appeared the woman was calming down and when he saw her lie flat on her back again, he took it as a sign of submission and bounded to her side. She had her eyes closed but she could feel the wolf's fur on her nose as he inched his muzzle over her.

"Do you ever turn back into a man?" she asked, finally, emerald peering carefully into gold.

He shook his head.

"So you're stuck like this... like a wolf?"

A nod then silence as the housecarl contemplated her situation and the beast continued to watch, unblinking. He noticed the tiny movements of the woman's fair features while she thought and he found them alluring. There was nothing subtle about being a werewolf and there weren't many expressions a beast could make that wouldn't appear fierce or unfriendly. He'd done the whole dog routine before with a few hunters. At best they ran, at worst they would reward him with a volley of arrows.

"Alright" the housecarl grimaced, snapping the wolf from his own memories. "If I'm going to be staying here for a while, you should at least know my name" She frowned at the wolf when he gawked back, puzzled.

Was she surrendering? Or was this a trick? He growled in uncertainty but the Nord ignored his suspicions.

"I'm Lydia" she said, quite frankly. She raised her hand for him to shake from her horizontal position on the ground except the wolf didn't know how to respond so he gave her a soft nip on the palm. It was meant to be affectionate but the woman flinched anyway. "I'm not even going to try to guess your name... if you have one" the Nord called Lydia mumbled, pulling her hand back to her side.

Akaela barked his name but of course she didn't understand.

"Pants. That's what I'm calling you from now on" she declared with a smirk after a little consideration.

The wolf whined. How undignified! Why was it the woman was taking advantage of him when he was stronger as well as the captor? It didn't make sense, in the pack order she would obviously be lower than him and yet she was referring to him as 'Pants'? He showed his disapproval with a snarl.

Still she ignored him though she was definitely wary of provoking him too much. "So Pants, would you take me for a tour of your forest? Now that I'm living here, I would like to see the area" _And possibly find out where I am..._

With a resigned snort, the wolf newly dubbed Pants nodded. So much for treating her like a pup but at least she seemed willing. And there was still plenty of time before the hunt to show her how dominant he could be...

End.

**AN: I wasn't sure if I should have the werewolves talk to each other or not but I thought it would be awfully hard to describe all their grunts and barks so for now they talk. **


	3. Omegas Should Never Try to be Alphas

**Lesson Two: Omegas should Never try to be Alphas**

The afternoon sun radiated clear and bright over the forest canopy, setting the treetops ablaze. It was strange, the clouds had been heavy with rain during the morn but now they had disappeared completely, as if the sky itself wanted to make a good impression for the human's first trek through Akaela's woods.

Akaela didn't think to be thankful. To him, the patch of wilderness was a buzzing nest of resources: food, water, air, and shelter. And that was all it needed to be. He didn't realize that the human would see it differently until he smelled her excitement in the air and witnessed her odd behavior.

Like a curious pup she was, brushing her paw against the trunks of massive oaks, her nostrils flaring like a colt's at the scent of wild flowers, her hair rustling like the dark feathers on an eagle's wings at the slight breeze. It was like she'd never explored a forest before.

How peculiar.

* * *

She had never seen so many gargantuan trees, so many different plants in dozens of shades of red and blue and violet and never in her life had she seen grass so green as the chutes that were currently bowing under her every step. It was like being in an entirely different world, the woods even smelt different, fresher somehow. Untouched.

_I don't recognize any of this... _she thought, suddenly and a little sadly.

There was a tiny crunch from behind her and she knew the wolf had pattered closer, probably in response to the frown that was twitching at her lips. She didn't want him to think something was wrong so she quickly gathered herself and smiled right as the beast slipped in front of her, his head tilted as if he was puzzled.

"I have to admit, it is beautiful out here" she observed, hands on her hips, her face a mask of contentment. _Doesn't matter, I won't get another opportunity like this, I have to find a way to escape and soon. _

The wolf's eyes narrowed noticeably at the woman's compliment, to show his skepticism, but also because he didn't want to appear dazzled by her smile. He was alpha here and to be flustered was not leader-like. Secunda was never flustered, not even when he was being praised by the kiss-ass werewolves who called him king.

"What?" Lydia asked when she saw the beast's ears lower in what she believed was an unhappy gesture. His response was that scoffing noise again and he trundled a few steps ahead, his broad shoulder blades bumping up and down like a sabrecat as he took the lead. She followed after, curious about his sudden foul mood.

Ah now this was proper, the human was keeping distance behind him just as she should be, perhaps it wouldn't be so hard to establish their pack order. If she stopped trying to get in front of him that is. He made a mental note to consider a leash next time.

"Pants! Are you alright?" _Wait... what am I saying? _

She had ducked around him and halted three feet in front of the wolf, her arms outstretched as if that would contain him. For some reason, it made Akaela very frustrated and, harder than he was meaning to, he buffeted her to the side with a careless paw, his claws raking a bloody trail through the woman's arm.

"For fuck's sake, wolf!" the housecarl hissed as she gripped her injured limb. The blow had slammed her against the trunk of an oak, adding a dull throb in her back to go with the sting of the gash.

Akaela was horrified. He knew he had made a mistake and he wanted to help but her blood... the smell was overwhelming. Metallic and warm and sweet and delicious. The wolf felt a wetness drip onto his paw as he gazed at the human and he thought it was rain but soon realized that he was actually salivating. His eyes clouded over with red.

_Something's wrong. _"Hey! Snap out of it" she shouted through a grimace.

But he couldn't hear her, not her words anyway, they might as well have been squeaks made by a mouse. So much red, so much sweet, sweet red. Akaela licked his lips, his body automatically dropping into a predatory crouch. He hadn't noticed how hungry he'd been while he was steaming about the woman's annoying obliviousness to his authority but now the rumble in his belly was the only thing that mattered.

"Pants!" Fantastic. For the second time that day, Lydia found herself staring into the face of death but this time she was sure he would be having more than just a few licks.

Thank gods for the bear.

* * *

Nine hundred pounds of fur, curved fangs and claws propelled by masses of muscle.

Lydia didn't know what to make of the situation but she figured the bear had come for a piece of the pie. The pie being her still-bleeding arm. It would have to get past Pants though, wolves were not ones for sharing, not when they hadn't had the first bite.

They clashed immediately, the wolf a howling gale against the solid mountain that was the bear. It was the perfect time to go.

She bolted, cradling her wounded arm while dodging around branches and moss-covered rocks, her vision blurring slightly from all the greenery and loss of blood. Back in the direction of the fight, she heard a loud crack and a soft whimper and she stopped running, just for a second, to consider if it was Pants or the bear. _Do bears or wolves whimper? I know dogs do... what am I thinking? This is ridiculous._

She mentally scolded herself for even caring and she pushed herself to keep moving, ignoring the bloody trail that followed her. _I can't tell anything apart, I need to find a high point to get my bearings. _It was a decent plan and yet she found herself stopping again not much further down the tree-lined path.

The forest had gone quiet, eerily so. No sounds of animals fighting, no birds singing or critters scampering. The bear and the wolf had attacked each other with the magnitude of thunder-drums, there was no way she was far enough that she wouldn't hear **something**. Unless there had been a winner...

_Oh gods I'm a fool._

* * *

Stupid, stupid Akaela, getting into a tussle with a bear. Worse, scratching and scaring away his human, that was unforgivable. If only he could apologize, if only he wasn't about to be sent to Hircine, then he would tell her somehow. Alas, the god wanted him now and there was no use arguing.

He was flat on his side, his head lolling dizzily as he tried to see the bear that would be his doom. Everything was a haze of color but he could just make out the massive shadow of the monster and it was standing on its hind-legs, ready to deal the finishing blow. Except, the figure was shuddering strangely as if the bear was swatting at something.

How peculiar.

With what strength he had remaining, the wolf lifted himself for a better look and as he did, he heard the bear scream. Blood, sweet blood, the smell had returned. Her smell.

The woman, Lydia, had used the sharpened stick to nail the bear in the eye. It hadn't been easy, she had to climb onto its back, stab and dodge away again before it could retaliate, all with one arm seriously injured but she had done it.

Of course, the bear hadn't appreciated the gesture one bit and it turned on her, teeth gnashing in a blinded rage. Now this, Akaela would not stand for and with a loud bark and a snarl he was on his feet. Before the bear could comprehend what was happening, the wolf rocketed onto the monster's back, latching his claws into the deep brown fur.

There was a bellow as Akaela sank his teeth into the flesh at the back of the monster's neck and soon the bear was bucking, trying to slam the wolf into the trees but the beast would not let go. Lydia just watched now, sitting propped up against a small rock formation, too spent to do anymore fighting or running.

Pants was doing such a good job of wearing the bear down, however, there wasn't any need to interfere. Yes, the wolf's blood was boiling and his instinct to protect his pack fired his senses and renewed the strength in his battered limbs. The bear made a valiant effort to pull the wolf from its back with its claws but the beast leaped away before the monster could reach and by then the bear was on its hind legs with its head reared upwards. It was easy enough for Akaela to strike after that and tear the monster's throat out, with its neck so exposed.

It looked like Hircine would have to come for Akaela another day.

* * *

The sun was setting as the wolf and the Nord arrived back at the cabin, the woman with a firm hold around the beast's neck like their first ride together. The cabin itself was awash in the oranges and pinks that made the setting sun such a glorious sight and surprisingly, Lydia was glad to see the derelict sanctuary.

"Agh, be careful" she growled when the wolf had dropped her on the porch with a little less tenderness than she would have hoped. Her arm had stopped bleeding by then but the gash would need to be treated or risk infection. Too bad she didn't know anything about alchemy. "You don't happen to have any healing potions lying around, do you?"

Pants shook his head. No, but he had something almost as good.

Being extra delicate to make up for his previous blunders, the wolf tore the sleeves off the woman's tunic while she flinched in uncertainty. Tossing the bloodied sleeve away, he kept the clean one in his paw as he leaned forward with his head to get a closer look at the damaged limb.

For a moment, Lydia saw the wolf's eyes flicker from yellow to red like it had before and she swallowed. "Don't..." she gasped as she felt the beast's hot breath on her arm. The wolf blinked and perked his ears. She was scared and she was obviously hesitant to trust him.

But how could he tell her? How could he show her that he wasn't going to harm her, not now, not ever. He tried smiling but that was equivalent to baring his teeth. No. He loped away a few steps and flopped onto his back in submission. She frowned. Nope. Wait... of course! He rolled back onto all-fours and raised one paw, his eyes trained on hers.

She stared back, skeptical at first. "You... did you learn that from me?" Like two burning suns, that's how bright his eyes were in the blaze of the evening. Warm. And gentle. He nodded. She didn't know what the purpose of this was but it felt... positive somehow. "You're a strange one, wolf" she sighed finally, holding her arm out, "But I guess you're not all bad... I'll just be extra careful not to bleed around you"

Not bad? She thought he was 'not bad', that was more than the wolf could ask for. He sauntered back to his task with warmth fluttering in his belly, his tail wagging as he lapped at the woman's arm while she winced and squirmed at the tickling sensation. Werewolf saliva had fantastic healing properties and it was one of the reasons why the beasts recovered so quickly.

He added the bandage as an afterthought but his clumsy paws couldn't fasten the cloth properly so Lydia had to wrap the wound herself, the wolf watching in fascination as usual. "You owe me a new shirt" she said with a grin and a final examination of their handiwork. It was crude but effective.

Akaela nodded again, happily. He had been foolish, trying to be alpha in a one wolf pack. Why be her superior if he could be something more?

A friend.

* * *

[Secunda, the pack has gathered except for Akaela. Otherwise, we are all ready for the hunt] rasped Ludvin, the eldest wolf after Masser.

The grey alpha sneered. [Foolish Akaela, always late. Bah, no matter. Tell the pack to prepare for a raid]

[A-a raid, my leader?] So soon after the last one?

Secunda's crimson eyes glistened at the weariness in the older wolf's tone but he did not reprimand Ludvin for his doubts, not yet. [Yes, a raid] he snarled with dangerous excitement, [A small man-village we 'visited' long before. They call it... Riverwood]

End.

**AN: I'm so used to long, drawn-out stories that it's hard to par a chapter down to 2000 or so words. I hope it doesn't feel too rushed but if it is, feel free to give me some tips. **

**Also, I'm glad Akaela is likeable... I quite enjoy him. **


End file.
